In recent years, recreational vehicles have gained widespread popularity. Recreational vehicles are commonly used in hunting, trail riding and utility applications such as the wide variety of maintenance activities which take place on a farm. Attachments are available which allow recreational vehicles to be used for plowing snow, mowing grass, hauling material and other useful functions.
Perhaps the most common recreational vehicle application is trail riding. Trail riding on a recreational vehicle allows the rider to travel through areas which are not accessible by ordinary automobiles. Modern recreational vehicles, can cover ground very rapidly and can cover great distances. Frequently, recreational vehicle enthusiasts ride their recreational vehicle for many hours straight and cover many miles. If the rider is subjected to excessive jarring while traveling over rough terrain, operator fatigue may result particularly during a long ride. During such long rides, a recreational vehicle may be used to carry a rider through a wide variety of terrain. Terrain that may be encountered includes snow, sand, mud and swampland. Frequently recreational vehicles are called upon to travel across rugged terrain at relatively high speeds.
Part of the thrill of riding a recreational vehicle is encountering challenging terrain, and through the performance of the recreational vehicle and the skill of the rider passing through the terrain. It is not uncommon for recreational vehicle riders to seek out large mud holes and attempt to traverse these obstacles with a recreational vehicle. The depth of some of these mud holes is actually greater than the height of the recreational vehicle. When passing through an obstacle such as mud hole, the recreational vehicle may become immersed in water, mud, or a mixture thereof.